Hand-Wired Replacement Tube Amplifier for Wurlitzer Electronic Pianos

Hand-Wired Replacement Tube Amplifier for Wurlitzer Electronic Pianos

from 795.00

Tropical Fish hand-wires a tube Wurlitzer replacement amplifier that will bring your 140, 140A, 140B, 145, 146, 720A, 720B or 700 back to life. This amp will fit into your 140/145 series or any 700/720 series Wurlitzer electronic piano. Our amplifier uses currently available tube types (6CA4, two 7868 & two 12AX7), eliminating the problem of sourcing new replacements. Our amplifier also comes with a fully rebuilt control harness, which helps to drastically cut down on noise associated with control wiring.

This replacement amplifier is for all Wurlitzer tube and early solid state models. Each amplifier is hand-made and hand-wired to order, and can either be faithfully wired to the original specifications of your Wurlitzer or customized to your preference. Our Wurlitzer amplifiers have a low noise floor and robust, modern components. They are designed to perform reliability on stage or in the studio.

The pictured amplifier is the deluxe version with fx loop. Other versions of this amplifier have two preamp tubes.

Our Wurlitzer amplifier is excellent as a replacement or upgrade to your original Wurlitzer amp.

As a replacement: Our Wurlitzer amplifiers can be designed to faithfully reproduce the original circuit. In this case, we make minor revisions to the layout and transformers for clean, low-noise operation, but the circuit as a whole follows the original. For the highest reliability, we further replace any obsolete parts - for instance, the Wurlitzer 145’s 6K11 Compactron tube - with more common, modern equivalents.

As an upgrade: Wurlitzer amplifiers were originally designed for low-gain output using a minimum of components. We can customize your amplifier to increase your Wurlitzer’s tonal possibilities, an effects loop, master volume, aux output, or additional gain stages. This results in a sound that has all the authentic tube warmth of the original, but with additional features that make Wurlitzer keyboards more versatile in today’s studios.

Wurlitzer 145 Amplifier Features

After numerous repairs on 140b solid state amps we have discovered that the majority of these amps have critical issues for which replacement parts simply do not exist. Likewise, the 145 amp uses an out of production tube type making the inevitable task of replacing it very expensive and tricky. So we devised our own hand-wired all-tube Wurlitzer 145 amplifier. After experimenting with the amplifier’s tone, it became clear that a replacement amplifier not only extends the longevity of a 140-series Wurlitzer, but also opens up new tonal possibilities in the Wurlitzer.

Here are some features in our amplifier:

Warm tube sound

Easy-to-source tube complement

Rugged build

Tube bias vibrato, just like the original

High-end, modern and fresh components

Transformers made in Canada or the USA

Easy install

Build Options

Classic. This circuit is very faithful to the original. It features a single gain stage, two 7868 output tubes, and tube tremolo.

Classic with aux output. This option includes all of the features of the Classic design, plus a buffered aux output.

Classic with extra gain. This option includes all of the features of the Classic design, plus an additional gain stage for preamp overdrive.

Please specify which model Wurlitzer you plan to install this amp in (i.e. 140B, 700, 720A etc.) and whether the controls are lid or cheek-block mounted during checkout so we can prepare the correct length of control wiring harness.

The current build time for this amplifier is about two weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I replace my Wurlitzer 145 or 140b amplifier? If your Wurlitzer sounds muddy, distorted, or excessively noisy, you would benefit from a replacement amplifier. If you use your Wurlitzer on stage or in a recording setting and need the peace of mind that new components offer, you'd also benefit from a replacement amplifier. But our 145 amplifier is more than a replacement option: it can be customized for an aux output, fx loop, or high-gain performance. This offers warm, tube-driven overdrive, effects, and recording convenience that is not possible with the original amplifier.

Do you offer installation? If you are able to bring your Wurlitzer to our Tuckahoe, NY, shop, we can install the amplifier for free. Otherwise, we offer delivery and installation for a fee: $75 within NYC or Westchester County, or $175 within 120 miles of NYC.

Can I install it myself? The Wurlitzer 145 replacement amp is simple to install and can be done using common household tools.

Can I install the amp in a model of Wurlitzer other than a 140-series Wurlitzer? The amp can be installed in any Wurlitzer other than a 200/200a (because the amp is too big to fit under the plastic lid). However, we will need dimensions of your Wurlitzer's interior because we may need to create a custom chassis to fit in the space provided for the amplifier. At this point, we create every Wurlitzer 145 chassis to-order, so cutting a different size is not a problem and would incur no extra cost. However, prices may change without notice so if you're interested contact us to get the ball rolling.

Do you accept returns? Unfortunately, we can't accept returns on the Wurlitzer 145 amplifier. They are handmade to order from high-quality components, and in order to keep our prices fair and make the amp accessible to as many Wurlitzer owners as possible, it is a final sale item. If you have any questions about the 145 replacement amplifier, contact us before purchasing it and we are happy to help you make a decision.

How do I know if my Wurlitzer's awful tone is because of a failing, degraded amplifier, or because of poorly-regulated mechanical parts? Good question! In rare cases, noise and distortion is caused by the reed bar or a blown speaker, and not the amplifier. If you know your Wurlitzer sounds bad but aren't sure why, contact us and we can discuss whether a replacement amplifier will fix your Wurlitzer’s issues.